Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Zanmuskyfa White’

ABSTRACT

A  chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Zanmuskyfa White’ characterized by its small sized blooms with white ray floret and a cream center, and prolific branching; natural season flower date October 19 (week 43); blooming for a period of 5 weeks.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium Ramat.

Cultivar denomination: “Zanmuskyfa White”.

RELATED CULTIVARS

The new plant is a flower color mutant of ‘Zanmuskyfa Purple’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium Ramat., commercially known as a garden mum, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar denomination ‘Zanmuskyfa White’. ‘Zanmuskyfa White’ is a product of a breeding and selection program which had the objective of finding flower color mutants from existing parent plants. The new plant comprises a whole plant mutant of the parent chrysanthemum named ‘Zanmuskyfa Purple’ (unpatented). Plants from the new cultivar ‘Zanmuskyfa White’ differ from plants of the female parent in the color of the ray-florets. The ray-florets of the parent are purple, while those of the new plant are white.

In order to obtain color mutants, unrooted cuttings of the parent plant were irradiated in April 2013 at Ziekenhuis, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with gamma radiation at a dose of 15 Gy. These treated cuttings were then planted in a controlled environment (greenhouse) in Rijsenhout, the Netherlands. In this population of planted cuttings an individual plant was found by Henricus Cornelis Maria Jacobs in May 2013 which had white inflorescences. This flower color mutant was subsequently selected for further tests in the same controlled environment in Rijsenhout, the Netherlands. The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Zanmuskyfa White’ was accomplished when after planting of the selected plant as a motherplant in July 2013, vegetative cuttings from this motherplant were taken and propagated further in Rijsenhout, the Netherlands. In summer, about 6-8 days are needed to initiate roots in cuttings of the new cultivar, after another 5 days rooted plants are formed. The new cultivar has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum (of about 22 weeks) is shown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true as possible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of blooms of the new cultivar.

FIG. 3 shows the various stages of foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The observations and measurements were gathered from plants in the period of 21 to 25 weeks of age grown outdoor in Rijsenhout, the Netherlands, under natural day length and temperature and planted in week 23 in 2015. The natural blooming date of this crop was October 19 (week 43). The average height of the plants was 25 cm. No growth retardants were used. No tests were done on disease or insects resistance or susceptibility. No tests were done on cold or drought resistance. This new variety produces small sized blooms with white ray florets and a cream center blooming for a period of four weeks.

From the cultivars known to the inventor the most similar existing cultivar in comparison to ‘Zanmuskyfa White’ is its parent ‘Zanmuskyfa Purple’ (unpatented). When ‘Zanmuskyfa Purple’ and ‘Zanmuskyfa White’ are being compared the following difference is noticed: ‘Zanmuskyfa Purple’ has purple blooms, while ‘Zanmuskyfa White’ has white blooms.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish “Zanmuskyfa White” as a new and distinct variety.

The color designations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, any discrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted in the photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart used in this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, edition 2001.

TABLE 1 Botanical Description of Chrysanthemum × morifolium Ramat. ‘Zanmuskyfa White’ Bud Size: Small; cross-section 4 mm, height 2 mm Shape: Round Texture: Pubescent Outside color: Greyed-green 191A Phyllaries Number: 18-21., arranged in 3 rows Shape: Elliptic Apex: Acute Base: Truncate Margin: Entire Color: Upper side: Greyed-green 191A Lower side: Green 143A Length and width: 3-4 mm; 1.5 mm Texture: Pubescent Inflorescences Type: Double Height: 0.8 cm Diameter: 3 cm Peduncle length: 5-5.5 cm Peduncle color: Green 138B Peduncle diameter: 1.5 nun Peduncle texture: Pubescent Peduncle strength: Weak Number per branch; About 5-6 inflorescences Duration of flowering: 5 weeks Seed set: Has not been determined to date Fragrance: Faint chrysanthemum odor Color inflorescences Center of inflorescence: White 155A Color of upper side of Outer rows: White N155D; ray florets: Inner rows: White 155A Color of lower side of Outer rows: White N155D; ray florets: Inner rows: While 155A Tonality from distance: A garden mum with white blooms and a cream center Color of ray florets after White 155A aging of the plant: Ray florets Number of types: One Type: Ligulate Texture: Upper and lower side smooth Number: 140-150 Shape: Narrowly elliptic to Elliptic Apex: Pointed Base: Acute Cross-section: Flat Longitudinal axis: Straight Length of corolla tube: 2 mm Diameter corolla tube: 1 mm Ray floret margin: Entire Ray floret length: 0.6-1.2 cm Ray-floret width: 2-5 mm Disc florets Absent Receptacle Color: Yellow-green 145D Shape: Domed raised Height 2 mm Diameter: 2 mm Reproductive Organs Androecium: Absent Pollen: Absent Gynoecium: Present on ray florets Style color: Yellow-green 154C Style length: 4 mm Stigma color: Yellow 7A Stigma width: 1 mm Ovary: Enclosed in calyx Ovary color: Yellow-green 149D Plant Type: Bushy Growth habit: Spherical shape Growth rate: Medium Height: 20-25 cm Width: 45 cm Stem color: Greyed-brown 199A Stem strength: Weak Stem brittleness: Brittle Stem anthocyanin coloration: absent Internode length: 0.8-2.5 cm Length of lateral branch: From top to bottom 14-15 cm Lateral branch color: Green 138C Lateral branch, attachment: Weak Lateral branch diameter: 2 .mm Lateral branch texture: Rough with ribs Branching (average Dense- with 10 to 12 breaks after number of lateral branches): pinching Natural season blooming October 19 (week 43) in Rijsenhout, date: the Netherlands. Root habits: Fine, freely branching Root color: White 155D; 6-8 days, formation Rooting time: rooted plants: 12-14 days Foliage Leaf glossines: Upper side: weak; Lower side: absent Leaf color: Upper side: Yellow-green 147A; Lower side: Green 138A Color midvein: Upper side: Yellow-green 147D; Lower side: Yellow-green 148D Size: Small; length 3-4.5 cm, width 1.8-2.5 cm Quantity (number per 14-15 lateral branches): Shape: Elliptic Texture upper side: Sparsely pubescent Texture under side: Pubescent Venation arrangement: Pinnate Shape of margin: Serrated Shape of base of sinus Rounded between lateral lobes: Margin of sinus between Diverging lateral lobes: Shape of base: Acute to truncate Apex: Mucronulate Petiole altitude: Strongly upwards Petiole length: 0.5-0.8 cm Petiole diameter: 15 mm Petiole color: Yellow-green 147D Stipule: very small, about 0.5 mm

TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison variety, when grown under identical conditions “Zanmuskyfa White” ‘Zanmuskyfa Purple’ Color ray-florets white purple 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct chrysanthemum plant named ‘Zanmuskyfa White’ as described and illustrated. 